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Architecture Synthesis and Reduced-Cost Architectures for Human Exploration Missions

Development of architectures for human exploration missions has been pursued in the international aerospace community for a long time. This paper attempts a different approach and way of looking at architectures. Most of the emphasis is on lunar architectures with a brief look at Mars. The first step is to set forth overarching gods in order to understand origins of requirements. Then, principles and guidelines are developed for architecture formulation. It is argued that safety and cost are the primary factors. Alternative mission profiles are examined for adherence to the principles, and specific architectures formulated according to the guidelines. The guidelines themselves indicate preferred evolution paths from lunar to Mars architectures. Results of example calculations are given to illustrate the process, and an evolution path is recommended. Safety and cost criteria tend to conflict, but it is shown that cost-efficient architectures can be enhanced for good safety ratings at modest cost.

Woodcock, Gordon↗

Lunar Precursor Robotic Program: A Robotic Focus To The Vision

In April 2006, NASA, with help from the commercial and international communities, began developing a global Lunar Exploration Strategy. These activities resulted in themes that expanded on why we should return to the Moon and objectives that identify what we should do when we get there. NASA used these results to develop a Lunar Architecture designed to achieve the subset of the global Lunar Exploration Strategy objectives that fit within NASA's scope. A component of this architecture is the Lunar Precursor Robotic Program. This Program, anticipated to consist of both lunar orbiters and landers, is intended to meet many of NASA's lunar exploration objectives.

French, Raymond A.↗

ISRU at a Lunar Outpost: Implementation and Opportunities for Partnerships and Commercial Development

The NASA Lunar Architecture Team (LAT), which was commissioned to help answer the question "how" will humans return to the Moon, and the Synthesis Team and the recently released Global Exploration Strategy, which was commissioned to help answer the question "why" will humans return to the Moon and go on to Mars have identified the ability to extract and use in-situ resources as important to extending human frontiers, reduce dependence on Earth, and further economic and commercial expansion into space. The extraction and processing of space resources into useful products, known as In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), can have a substantial impact on mission and architecture concepts. In particular, the ability to make propellants, life support consumables, and fuel cell reagents can significantly reduce the cost, mass, and risk of sustained human activities beyond Earth. Potential lunar resources include solar wind implanted volatiles, vast quantities of metal and mineral oxides, possible water/ice at the poles, abundant solar energy, regions of permanent light and darkness, the vacuum of space itself, and even scavenging leftover descent propellants and/or trash and waste from human crew activities. Suitable processing can transform these raw resources into useful materials and products. The establishment of a human lunar Outpost, as proposed by NASA at the 2nd Space Exploration Conference in Houston in December 2006, opens up the possibility for the first time of breaking our reliance on Earth supplied consumables and learn to "live off the land". The ISRU phasing and capability incorporation strategy developed during LAT Phase I & II is based on the premise that while ISRU is a critical capability and key to successful implementation of the US Vision for Space Exploration, it is also an unproven capability for human lunar exploration and can not be put in the critical path of architecture success until it has been proven. Therefore, ISRU needs to take incremental steps toward the desired end state. However, at the same time, the lunar architecture needs to be open enough to take advantage of ISRU when proven available.

Sanders, Gerald B.↗

Constellation Architecture Team-Lunar Scenario 12.0 Habitation Overview

This paper will describe an overview of the Constellation Architecture Team Lunar Scenario 12.0 surface habitation approach, concept, and assessments performed during the study definition. The Lunar Scenario 12 architecture study focused on two primary habitation approaches: a horizontally-oriented habitation module (LS-12.0) and a vertically-oriented habitation module (LS-12.1). This paper will provide an overview of 12.0 lunar surface campaign, the associated outpost architecture, habitation functionality, concept description, system integration strategy, mass and power resource estimates. The Scenario 12 architecture resulted from combining three previous scenarios after the Lunar Surface Systems (LSS) Project Office meeting in April 28-30, 2009. The best attributes from Scenario 4 "Optimized Exploration", Scenario 5 "Fission Surface Power System" and Scenario 8 "Initial Extensive Mobility" were combined into Scenario 12 along with an added emphasis on defining the excursion ConOps while the crew is away from the outpost location.

Kennedy, Kriss J.↗

NASA Lunar Mining and Construction Activities and Plans

The Space Exploration Policy enacted by the US Congress in 2005 calls for the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system and beyond; Extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon by the year 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations; Develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures both to explore and to support decisions about the destinations for human exploration; and Promote international and commercial participation in exploration to further U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests. In 2006, NASA released the Lunar Architecture Study, which proposed establishing a lunar Outpost on the Moon with international participation to extend human presence beyond Earth's orbit, pursue scientific activities, use the Moon to prepare for future human missions to Mars, and expand Earth s economic sphere. The establishment of sustained human presence on the Moon for science and exploration combines the design, integration, and operation challenges experienced from both the short Apollo lunar missions and the build-up and sustained crew operations of the International Space Station (ISS). Apollo experience reminds developers and mission planners that hardware must operate under extremely harsh environmental and abrasive conditions and every kilogram of mass and payload must be critical to achieve the mission s objectives due to the difficulty and cost of reaching the lunar surface. Experience from the ISS reminds developers and mission planners that integration of all hardware must be designed and planned from the start of the program, operations and evolution of capabilities on a continuous basis are important, and long-term life-cycle costs and logistical needs are equally or more important than minimizing early development and test costs. Overarching all of this is the need to implement efforts that are sustainable and affordable. One area NASA is developing that can significantly change how systems required for sustained human presence are designed and integrated, as well as potentially break our reliance on Earth supplied logistics, is In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). ISRU, also known living off the land, involves the extraction and processing of local resources into useful products. In particular, the ability to make propellants, life support consumables, fuel cell reagents, and radiation shielding can significantly reduce the cost, mass, and risk of sustained human activities beyond Earth. Also, the ability to modify the lunar landscape for safer landing, transfer of payloads from the lander an outpost, dust generation mitigation, and infrastructure placement and buildup are also extremely important for long-term lunar operations. While extra-terrestrial excavation, material handling and processing, and site preparation and construction may be new to NASA and other space agencies, there is extensive terrestrial hardware and commercial experience that can be leveraged. This paper will provide an overview of current NASA activities in lunar ISRU mining and construction and how terrestrial experience in these areas are important to achieving the goal of affordable and sustainable human exploration.

Sanders, Gerald B.↗

Constellation Architecture Team-Lunar Scenario 12.0 Habitation Overview

This paper will describe an overview of the Constellation Architecture Team Lunar Scenario 12.0 (LS-12) surface habitation approach and concept performed during the study definition. The Lunar Scenario 12 architecture study focused on two primary habitation approaches: a horizontally-oriented habitation module (LS-12.0) and a vertically-oriented habitation module (LS-12.1). This paper will provide an overview of the 12.0 lunar surface campaign, the associated outpost architecture, habitation functionality, concept description, system integration strategy, mass and power resource estimates. The Scenario 12 architecture resulted from combining three previous scenario attributes from Scenario 4 "Optimized Exploration", Scenario 5 "Fission Surface Power System" and Scenario 8 "Initial Extensive Mobility" into Scenario 12 along with an added emphasis on defining the excursion ConOps while the crew is away from the outpost location. This paper will describe an overview of the CxAT-Lunar Scenario 12.0 habitation concepts and their functionality. The Crew Operations area includes basic crew accommodations such as sleeping, eating, hygiene and stowage. The EVA Operations area includes additional EVA capability beyond the suitlock function such as suit maintenance, spares stowage, and suit stowage. The Logistics Operations area includes the enhanced accommodations for 180 days such as enhanced life support systems hardware, consumable stowage, spares stowage, interconnection to the other habitation elements, a common interface mechanism for future growth, and mating to a pressurized rover or Pressurized Logistics Module (PLM). The Mission & Science Operations area includes enhanced outpost autonomy such as an IVA glove box, life support, medical operations, and exercise equipment.

Kennedy, Kriss J.↗

Analysis of Water Surplus at the Lunar Outpost

This paper evaluates the benefits to the lunar architecture and outpost of having a surplus of water, or a surplus of energy in the form of hydrogen and oxygen, as it has been predicted by Constellation Program's Lunar Surface System analyses. Assumptions and a scenario are presented leading to the water surplus and the revolutionary surface element options for improving the lunar exploration architecture and mission objectives. For example, some of the elements that can benefit from a water surplus are: the power system energy storage can minimize the use of battery systems by replacing batteries with higher energy density fuel cell systems; battery packs on logistics pallets can also be minimized; mobility asset power system mass can be reduced enabling more consumables and extended roving duration and distance; small robotic vehicles (hoppers) can be used to increase the science exploration range by sending round-trip robotic missions to anywhere on the Moon using in-situ produced propellants.

Santiago-Maldonado, Edgardo↗

The Lunar Lab Initiative

Analogous to terrestrial Antarctic basecamps at our south pole, space exploration outposts will be a combination of habitation and science-focused assets. The Artemis Exploration Roadmap endeavors to establish a sustained human presence on the lunar south pole starting in 2028. Within the planned Artemis Base Camp, most efforts to date have focused on the habitation assets or a mixture of science and habitation assets . With the recent advent of commercial lunar landing capabilities, the trade space can be further expanded to include dedicated science focused assets that ensure adequate science capability. To that end, the Forge, an innovation team initiative created at the Johnson Space Center (JSC), explored alternative ways to increase the science capabilities within the basecamp. The Forge uses structured brainstorming and facilitation to increase innovation within the assigned team, while executing its process in a rapid turnaround fashion for ideation and design study. As a pilot study for the Forge, a multi-disciplinary team investigated a lunar lab module to augment the lunar surface plans for Artemis. This formulation study evaluated the scientific and operational considerations for this dedicated crew space that would increase the capabilities of lunar surface science operations. The trade space evaluated single lunar lander delivery versus multiple lunar lander delivery for module assembly, alternative structural designs, the science instrument outfitting with mapping to scientific goals to maximize lunar science objectives, and how the lab would be operated. The lab operations options explored a stand-alone facility, as well as a facility integrated into a larger lunar surface complex, while evaluating crew usage and habitability considerations. The resulting alternatives were evaluated by the Forge team with a set of metrics to determine their originality, feasibility, and science performance, and thereby provide a recommendation to the lunar architecture planning team. Lessons learned from the lunar lab study were compiled to improve the process and tools for future Forge studies. Forward work, open issues, and challenges to further refine the design of the various science-focused asset options were also documented. By providing a robust science capability at humanity’s furthest outpost, we can plan for a sustained human lunar presence once the initial lunar surface access capability is well established.

Lunar outpost↗

Free-Space Optical Communication for CubeSats in Low Lunar Orbit (LLO)

The NASA ARTEMIS Program will include LunaNet, a highly extensible, open architecture, lunar communications and navigation network. A constellation of CubeSats in Low Lunar Orbit (LLO), 100 km, could form an optical communications and navigation network as part of LunaNet, with terminals on the lunar surface, including mobile ones such as with astronauts and rovers. The proposed CubeSat nodes should provide data relay and navigational aid services. The proposed effort herein is to develop a fine pointing capability for laser beam pointing to augment body pointing by CubeSats. Body pointing was used by Aerospace Corporation for the CubeSats in LEO in NASA’s Optical Communications and Sensors Demonstration (OCSD) program [1]. Previously, this fine pointing capability was computer simulated for the OCSD program [2,3]. With fine pointing, the spot size on the Earth was reduced by a factor of eight with a reduction in laser output power by a factor of sixty-four, thereby mitigating the thermal load challenge on the CubeSats. The same reductions in spot size and laser output power can be achieved for CubeSats in LLO. A new method is described for optical data transmissions from satellites, which uses laser arrays for laser beam pointing. It combines a lens system and an array of vertical-cavity, surface-emitting lasers and photodetectors, an VCSEL/Photodetector Array, (both mature technologies), in a novel way. This system is applied to CubeSats in low lunar orbit, (LLO), which use body pointing. Also, It may be able to replace current architectures which use dynamical systems, (i.e., moving parts) to point the laser, and which may also use vibration isolation platforms. The computer simulations used the optics code, OpticStudio, from Zemax, LLC, which has the capabilities to model the laser source and diffraction effects from wave optics. These capabilities make it possible to model laser beam propagation over long space communication distances.

Goorjian, P. M.↗

Architectural prospects for lunar mission support

A top-level architectural approach facilitates the provision of communications and navigation support services to the anticipated lunar mission set. Following the time-honored principles of systems architecting, i.e., form follows function, the first step is to define the functions or services to be provided, both in terms of character and degree. These will include communication as well as trackin and navigation services.

communications↗

Integration Process for the Habitat Demonstration Unit

The Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) is an experimental exploration habitat technology and architecture test platform designed for analog demonstration activities The HDU project has required a team to integrate a variety of contributions from NASA centers and outside collaborators and poses a challenge in integrating these disparate efforts into a cohesive architecture To complete the development of the HDU from conception in June 2009 to rollout for operations in July 2010, a cohesive integration strategy has been developed to integrate the various systems of HDU and the payloads, such as the Geology Lab, that those systems will support The utilization of interface design standards and uniquely tailored reviews have allowed for an accelerated design process Scheduled activities include early fit-checks and the utilization of a Habitat avionics test bed prior to equipment installation into HDU A coordinated effort to utilize modeling and simulation systems has aided in design and integration concept development Modeling tools have been effective in hardware systems layout, cable routing and length estimation, and human factors analysis Decision processes on the shell development including the assembly sequence and the transportation have been fleshed out early on HDU to maximize the efficiency of both integration and field operations Incremental test operations leading up to an integrated systems test allows for an orderly systems test program The HDU will begin its journey as an emulation of a Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) for 2010 field testing and then may evolve to a Pressurized Core Module (PCM) for 2011 and later field tests, depending on agency architecture decisions The HDU deployment will vary slightly from current lunar architecture plans to include developmental hardware and software items and additional systems called opportunities for technology demonstration One of the HDU challenges has been designing to be prepared for the integration of presently unanticipated systems Results of the HDU field tests will influence future designs of habitat systems.

Gill, Tracy↗

NASA’s Strategic Analysis Cycle 2021 (SAC21) Human Mars Architecture

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Mars Architecture Team (MAT) was challenged to develop a mission architecture capable of transporting humans to the surface of Mars and back as fast—and as soon—as practical. This challenge represented a significant departure from previous approaches that minimized Earth-launched mass and maximized in-space transportation efficiency, often resulting in roundtrip missions of three years or more in duration. In the interest of crew health, MAT’s cross-Agency team of subject matter experts was challenged to develop an architecture capable of shortening crew time away from Earth to about two years. MAT was given specific mission constraints, such as number of crew, as well as mandates to minimize surface infrastructure as much as possible and to incorporate nuclear transportation options. The resulting MAT-developed concept, referred to here as the Strategic Analysis Cycle 2021 (SAC21) architecture, leverages Artemis elements and emerging commercial capabilities for cargo and logistics launches, and features a hybrid Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP)/Chemical transportation system able to complete the 1.8 billion kilometer round-trip journey to Mars and back in 760 to 850 days transit time for the 2039 Earth departure opportunity. Three Mars Descent Systems (MDS), each capable of landing about 25 metric tons of useful cargo on the surface of Mars, would be pre-deployed in advance of crew departure from Earth; two of these MDS’s would deliver a partially fueled Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), a fission power system, surface mobility, and additional MAV propellant. To minimize surface infrastructure, only two of the four Mars crew would descend and live in an MDS-landed pressurized rover, exploring the martian surface for 30 martian days, or sols, before returning to Mars orbit aboard their MAV and rejoining the other two crew on the Deep Space Transport for the Earth return voyage. Specifics of many of these architecture elements are detailed in separate technical publications; this paper outlines the end-to-end integrated architecture performance and concept of operations, including synergies with Artemis lunar architecture elements. It is important to note that NASA does not have a formal human Mars program and no decisions have been made; the architecture described here is intended to fill in an often-overlooked corner of the trade space, helping to complete the menu of options available to decision-makers as they chart the course for humans to Mars.

exploration↗

NASA’s Strategic Analysis Cycle 2021 (SAC21) Human Mars Architecture

[Note: this is the presentation for a companion paper with the following abstract] The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Mars Architecture Team (MAT) was challenged to develop a mission architecture capable of transporting humans to the surface of Mars and back as fast—and as soon—as practical. This challenge represented a significant departure from previous approaches that minimized Earth-launched mass and maximized in-space transportation efficiency, often resulting in roundtrip missions of three years or more in duration. In the interest of crew health, MAT’s cross-Agency team of subject matter experts was challenged to develop an architecture capable of shortening crew time away from Earth to about two years. MAT was given specific mission constraints, such as number of crew, as well as mandates to minimize surface infrastructure as much as possible and to incorporate nuclear transportation options. The resulting MAT-developed concept, referred to here as the Strategic Analysis Cycle 2021 (SAC21) architecture, leverages Artemis elements and emerging commercial capabilities for cargo and logistics launches, and features a hybrid Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP)/Chemical transportation system able to complete the 1.8 billion kilometer round-trip journey to Mars and back in 760 to 850 days transit time for the 2039 Earth departure opportunity. Three Mars Descent Systems (MDS), each capable of landing about 25 metric tons of useful cargo on the surface of Mars, would be pre-deployed in advance of crew departure from Earth; two of these MDS’s would deliver a partially fueled Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), a fission power system, surface mobility, and additional MAV propellant. To minimize surface infrastructure, only two of the four Mars crew would descend and live in an MDS-landed pressurized rover, exploring the martian surface for 30 martian days, or sols, before returning to Mars orbit aboard their MAV and rejoining the other two crew on the Deep Space Transport for the Earth return voyage. Specifics of many of these architecture elements are detailed in separate technical publications; this paper outlines the end-to-end integrated architecture performance and concept of operations, including synergies with Artemis lunar architecture elements. It is important to note that NASA does not have a formal human Mars program and no decisions have been made; the architecture described here is intended to fill in an often-overlooked corner of the trade space, helping to complete the menu of options available to decision-makers as they chart the course for humans to Mars. Note: Slide 9 contains a ~2 min video, best viewed when downloaded. Once downloaded to begin video you may be requested to hit options and Trust this document.

Long-duration spaceflight↗

Moving Beyond Apollo: Vacuum Ground Testing to Reduce Plume-Surface Interaction Risks to Lunar Landers

NASA’s Artemis Program will return humans to the surface of the Moon for the first time since Apollo using the Human Landing System (HLS). Plume-surface interactions (PSI) pose a potential hazard to all propulsive landing vehicles and future nearby assets that will be part of a sustained lunar architecture. Risks due to uncertainty in PSI predictions have challenged lunar landers since the 1960s, and understanding these phenomena further remains critical to enabling NASA’s lunar exploration goals. To this end, the HLS Program has funded a risk reduction ground test to obtain data relevant for application to environments produced by large landing systems. New data are needed to understand PSI and effects with the potential to differ from those experienced by the Apollo landers. This presentation will discuss the test concept, facility, research goals, methods, and planned data products.

Moon↗

The lunar space communications architecture from the KARI-NASA joint study

This paper covers the lunar space communications architecture defined by the feasibility study jointly conducted by the KARI and NASA during October 2014 – April 2015. From the KARI perspective, a formalized space communications architecture, while crucial to its first lunar mission, the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), has many long-term ramifications to the entire lunar exploration program that the KARI will undertake during the next decade. To NASA, in spite of its multitude of lunar missions, past and present, taking another new, fresh look at the architecture with a newcomer, who can bring new ideas and concept, is a precious opportunity to address some important issues for the future lunar exploration.

Rew, Dong Young↗

Rapid Assessment of a Lunar Surface Laboratory Module

Johnson Space Center is piloting an innovation team known as the Forge to perform rapid turnaround, concurrent engineering studies. The Forge is intended to be able to pull together a team of strategically selected domain experts to innovatively solve a specified problem within a short period of time. The Forge’s inaugural project being the development of a Lunar Surface Laboratory Module concept. The lab module is intended as an option for the Artemis program’s Lunar Architecture Team. The lab module may allow for increased science productivity and return on investment than a surface architecture with only the habitat. This paper will discuss the configuration of the Lunar Laboratory module, including the pressure vessel, its placement relative to the Surface Habitat and Pressurized Rover, and internal architecture. In order to determine the suitability of such a design, a human factors evaluation is conducted. Historically, a human factors evaluation of a habitable volume could require a month or longer, including time needed to prepare a test plan, conduct the evaluation, compile the data, and produce a report. The entire Forge effort will only last for five weeks, forcing the creation of a rapid assessment process. This rapid assessment includes three evaluation studies, all conducted and processed in the space of a single day, to determine the acceptability of the resulting design. The first evaluation is a card sort evaluation of the laboratory instruments. A brief discussion of the card sort evaluation is provided. This card sort is focused on the relative positioning of the laboratory instruments, determining whether a given instrument should be adjacent to, or separated from, another. It will use human factors personnel and both life and physical scientists as subject matter experts. The second evaluation is a science productivity tabletop evaluation. This evaluation focuses on the selection of instruments and the number of instruments, attempting to assess the amount of work the crew will be able to use the facility to do. It uses life and physical science personnel as subject matter experts. The third evaluation is a CAD or Virtual Reality human factors walkthrough evaluation. This evaluation focuses on the layout of the lab module and its connectivity to the basecamp’s pressurized elements. If possible, astronauts will be used as subject matter experts. Each of these evaluations will focus primarily on objective data with limited subjective comments, reducing the time required for processing responses. The results of each evaluation and their implications will be discussed. Based on the evaluation data, an overall acceptability of the Lunar Surface Laboratory Module produced by the Forge study can be determined. Lessons learned and recommendations for future use of the human factors rapid assessment process in early design trades will also be provided.

Lunar Laboratory↗

Architecture Options for Navigation in Cislunar Space for Human Landing System Vehicles

As part of architecture studies and insight analysis focused on requirements development into Human Landing System lunar architecture designs, multiple studies are underway to understand the sensitivities and options for achieving high precision landing on the lunar surface. The baseline approach utilizes a combination of multiple sensors to capture autonomous state observations of the lander with respect to the lunar surface. These systems are typically constrained in terms of operational altitudes by parameters such as onboard map size, camera focus, or sensor transmitted power (for altimeter observations). While these sensor suites do enable high precision landing, they are typically very complex and expensive. For a human-rated vehicle, fault detection algorithms are needed in addition to redundant sensors drive additional design complexity. Conversely, for these early missions, mass performance is key, so extended analysis is required to identify numbers of sensors, their ideal placement, and integration algorithms. A key part of this analysis is to help identify key sensor suites and options to help alleviate this design tension. An alternate approach is to take advantage and build out in-situ assets to allow for GPS-like navigation within the lunar regime through the use of navigation references or beacons. This can be achieved through the integration of navigation services into potential relays and pre-placed lunar surface assets. This research focuses on the capability of this infrastructure to support navigation in all areas of cislunar space such as: approach to the moon, in orbit around the moon, and ascent/descent operations to the surface. An augmented state linear covariance analysis (LinCov) and navigation state covariance analysis (NavCov) tools were used to assess a variety of navigation reference locations and how they can support vehicle operations through both understanding of state uncertainties and trajectory dispersions. This research helps to supplement existing studies focused on communication link analysis by providing additional insight into specific vehicle operational scenarios that are tied closely to potential Human Landing System scenarios. Key aspect of this analysis focus on the sensitivity to state knowledge of the references, the accuracy of inter-asset measurements, and placement in support of the various scenarios.

Evan J Anzalone↗